Everyone wants to renovate their homes. People in Albuquerque are now more inclined to do things themselves than ever before. All the remodeling is great for the economy, as well as for people's home equity. However, if homeowners take on tasks themselves without adequate training, problems can arise. It's easy to keep renovations on track if you know what to look out for.
Overestimating your skill
It looks easy to tile, doesn't it? It would be great if the whole bathroom was done, including the floors and walls. You don't need to take a class to do this, or even watch a few YouTube tutorials. You've seen it done on TV, and you're pretty good at picking things up, aren't you? That's a recipe for disaster, and, chances are, you'll either be calling a professional to come finish what you started, or to rip it out and start over.
How to avoid mistakes:
Start small. Prior to taking on the tough stuff, test your skills and patience.
Underestimating your budget
Nobody ever saves enough money for their renovations. There seems to be an increased likelihood of issues arising when your budget is tighter. The last thing you want is a problem that changes your entire plan last minute or makes you stop mid-renovation to make alternate plans or find more money.
How to avoid it:
A good rule of thumb is to set your budget amount and then add 20 percent, but the more novice you are, the more you may want to add.
Minimizing the timeline
Many Albuquerque homeowners underestimate the amount of time needed to make their own renovations. Most of the time, this is due to inexperience, but individual needs can also play a part in it. Just because you only have two weekends to completely tear down and renovate your kitchen before your in-laws arrive doesn't mean it's going to happen within that timeframe. Rather than a pretty finish, they're likely to find a mess and no functional kitchen to prepare a meal.
How to avoid it:
Make sure you do your research. Take the advice of professionals. Take a look at some blogs written by homeowners who have already done the DIY kitchen renovation thing and see what they have to say. Rather than dismissing them as amateurs, really listen to what they have to say. Learn from the mistakes and experiences of others so you can approach your renovation with an open mind and open eyes.
Swinging the hammer without a plan
Seeing demos on TV is fun, and they can be enjoyable as well. When you don't know what you're swinging at and have no plan for what you're going to do if an unexpected event occurs, it can be seriously damaging to your property.
"Work on older buildings can yield a lot of unforeseen events," said Architectural Digest. "Who knows what's behind that wall you're opening up? New construction is more controlled, but that doesn't always mean smooth sailing. Be prepared for the unexpected. We all hope and pray everything goes according to plan. Trust us: Nothing will."
How to avoid it:
The best way to ensure you don't do something crazy, such as compromising the entire structure of your home, is to hire a structural engineer to tell you exactly what's going on in the wall you want to take down.
Not asking for help
It's great to be independent, but when it comes to renovating, more is better. When you have suspicions, you need someone to confirm them, help with the heavy lifting, and provide feedback.
How to avoid it:
Get in touch with your friends, family, or that coworker who's self-proclaimed Queen of Reno. At the very least, having another person in the room will make the renovation go faster and give you someone else to talk to.
The best thing to keep in mind with renovations is that they are hard work and take time and planning. Dont go it alone, unless you've done them befor eand know what you're doing.
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